Simandou: The Head Of State Officiates The Laying Ceremony Of The First Beam Of The Trans-Guinean Company Railway
On 12 March 2024, Lieutenant General Mamadi Doumbouya, President of the Republic, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the first beam of the Trans-Guinean railway in Forécariah, marking a significant milestone in the development of the world’s largest iron ore project. The event, held in the rural commune of Kamalayah, Forécariah Prefecture, was attended by members of the CNRD, senior officials, dignitaries from the Presidency, the National Transitional Council, the Transguinenne Company, diplomatic corps, and local communities.
The prefect of Forécariah highlighted the importance of this step towards the project’s success. The General Director of Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) emphasised the necessity of constructing a railway for the success of the Simandou Project, committing to ensuring the project’s crucial phase progresses smoothly. The Chairman of Rio Tinto acknowledged the President’s leadership and support, expressing Rio Tinto managers’ commitment to the project.
The construction of the railway was described as more than mere architecture by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Compagnie Transguinenne; it symbolises a bridge to the future, prosperity, and well-being for Guinea’s people. With the project expected to export nearly 120 million tonnes by the end of 2025 in its first phase and about 160 million tonnes in the second phase, it aims to connect Guinea’s four regions and integrate the country globally, offering business, training, and job opportunities, and catalysing a comprehensive transformation of the national economy.
The Chairman of the Simandou Project Monitoring Committee, Minister Director of Cabinet of the Presidency, Djiba Diakité, outlined the project’s progress since December 2022 under President Doumbouya’s leadership, emphasising the necessity of the Guinean State’s involvement in all operational and decision-making stages. The ceremony concluded with President Doumbouya cutting the ribbon to install the railway’s first beam, signifying the commencement of this transformative infrastructure project.
Simandou is a project co-developed by Guinea and its mining partners Winning Consortium Simandou , Baowou, in , and Chinalco together Rio Tinto Simfer the Compagnie du Trans Guineen (CTG). The project includes the construction of a 625km multi-use and multi-purpose railway including 550km double-line and port facilities to exploit Simandou’s 8 billion tonnes of high-voltage iron reserves.
